Protein Diets for Muscle Building for the Serious Athlete

Protein diets for muscle building are the foundation of any serious athlete's muscle composition. Diets rich in protein, balanced with complex carbohydrates, aid the serious athlete in the development of leaner, stronger muscle tissue, resulting in what's known as an athlete's physique. Protein is any plant or animal tissue rich in organic molecules that supply essential amino acids to the body.

Significance

• Protein is essential to many body functions like strong bones, cartilage, blood, skin and muscles. Your body uses protein to repair itself from an injury and to build new tissue. Muscle building is essentially the building of new tissue, and a high-protein diet is an must for feeding and repairing new tissue. Your body does not store protein like it does carbohydrates and fat; therefore, your body needs more protein.

Types

• The types of protein diets that are best for muscle building for the serious athlete include boneless and skinless chicken, fish, lean beef, lean turkey, eggs, cottage cheese, skim milk, beans, nuts and whole grains. Be sure to stay away from processed meats like deli meats, hot dogs and sausage as the consumption of greater quantities of processed meats has been linked to increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer.

Timing

• According to Frank Hu, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston, high-protein diets increase satiety and decrease hunger, compared with high-fat or high-carbohydrate diets. This is important for the serious athlete, who needs to incorporate protein into several meals and snacks spread evenly throughout the day. Since protein is not stored by the body, the post-workout snack or meal is vital to supplying the body with immediate nutrients to begin repairing and growing lean muscle tissue.

Variety

• Varying protein-rich foods in your diet will keep you from getting bored with the "same old-same old," Mixing it up will keep you interested in your diet and, most importantly, keep you eating. For chicken, meats and fish, you want to stay away from sauces that contain fat. Instead use chilis, salsa, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Eat whole grains and nuts to keep your protein levels up, and with the added benefit of fiber, you will be full longer. Eat beans with a few meals and gain the advantage of a higher source of protein than vegetables that also contains fiber.

Long-term Effects

• There are some concerns in the medical community about the long-term effects of high protein diets. According to Christopher D. Gardner, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., high-protein diets may be trading short-term benefits for long-term health consequences. When our bodies break down protein, our bodies produce ammonia. No one knows the long-term effects of higher ammonia levels in our bodies. Deborah Sellmeyer, MD, assistant professor of medicine and director of the Center for Osteoporosis at the University of California at San Francisco, suggests the body is releasing stores of calcium into the bloodstream to counteract an increase of acids caused by protein consumption. Too much loss of calcium could lead to osteoporosis later in life.